After the runaway success of his hit food documentary show
at CNN, what would every “foodie” view as the lasting legacy of Anthony
Bourdain?
By: Ringo Bones
It came quite as a shock to me after hearing that Anthony
Bourdain died of an apparent suicide back in Friday, June 8, 2018. It seems
that most of his fans the world over are oblivious to the inner demons his
battling and eventually succumb into. Fortunately, Bourdain managed to bequeathe
to his legions of fans his books and a food documentary urging everyone to be
more adventurous when it comes to dining.
Born in New York, New York back in June 25, 1956, Bourdain
is no stranger to cultural diversity growing up in one of the most culturally diverse
part of the United States. He gained fame after publishing his first book
titled Kitchen Confidential that documented his twenty-plus year experience as
a high-end restaurant chef. When CNN decided to pick up his Parts Unknown, a
documentary focusing on various cuisines around the world and the salient theme
of which is based on his quote: “Context and memory play powerful roles in all
the truly great meals in one’s life.” Anthony Bourdain even became more famous
when the then US President Barack Obama invited to dine with him in a
Vietnamese noodle restaurant in downtown Hanoi called Bun Cha Huong Lien back
in May 2016 during President Obama’s state visit to Vietnam.
To his fans the world over, Anthony Bourdain will be
remembered for making cultures that are exotic to the average Westerner more
familiar. It might not be just me, but Bourdain probably made the most palate
cautious foodie to explore those exotic fermented fish dishes found in
Scandinavia and East Asia. And given his focus on the exploration of international
culture, cuisine and the human condition, Bourdain probably redefined what it
means to be a so-called celebrity chef.
